The Hard Cover
by Lemons4Eric
Summary: AH/AU Sookie is working as a manager at a book store that gets bought out by an playboy heir that Sookie thinks has more money than brains. When she finally meets him, will her opinion change?
1. Chapter 1

_**Hi all. Just a quick A/N. **  
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_**Thanks to everyone who's reading. :) I promise I'll try to keep up with review replies, and update at least once every few days. If not I think FairyBlood will spank me. Not that I don't enjoy it...  
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_**But I digress...  
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_**You can thank Fairyblood for the title of this story as well. She's awesome like that.  
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_**There will be lots of lemons later in the story, so... Mature Content people. With that said, I'm all about the slow build in this one, so you won't see any bedroom acrobatics right away. Good things cum.. er... come to those who wait. :)  
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_**Of course I don't own these two... I wish I owned Eric... but Charlaine Harris got to him first and she owns all the SVM characters in this story.  
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_**Alrighty, on with the show...  
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_Thump. Thump. Moan. Scream. Thump. Thump. Scream. Thump. Scream. Thump. Scream._

"You have got to be kidding me!" Sookie groaned out from under the pillow she had held over her ears in a useless attempt to block out the sounds of her neighbor's latest conquest.

"_ God. You're so huge. Harder, fuck me harder!" _

Pulling the pillow from over her head Sookie squinted at the alarm clock and fell back with a sigh when she saw the time.

4 o'clock in the morning.

If this had been the first time she'd been woken this way she may have been more inclined to let it go. But oh no, this was a near nightly event. In the past she'd ignored it but tomorrow she was meeting her new boss, some hotshot heir with more money than sense.

Nervous would be an understatement for the way she was feeling. When she'd started working at _The Book Nook_ she was fresh out of high school and in need of a way to pay tuition. 6 years later she was second only to the owner of the shop, Claudine.

Sookie frowned and rubbed her eyes, trying to massage the headache away. She supposed she should make that previous owner. Claudine's grandfather needed help running his multi-billion dollar cruise ship business so she sold the book shop.

Claudine had offered her the chance to buy her out but the only asset Sookie had was her late grandmother's house. Not only was she unable to imagine ever wanting to sell her family home, but her brother and his wife Crystal were living there until they could afford their own place.

With her hands tied she watched the shop she loved so much be signed over to some unknown, rich, snob who only wanted to play at being a business owner.

Knowing she was only hours away from meeting a man she knew she'd feel nothing but loathing for put Sookie on edge. And unfortunately for her neighbor, the edge was not a place she liked to be.

Pulling herself from bed, she stomped through her apartment and jerked the front door open. Without giving herself time to calm down she started banging her fist on her neighbors door. When he didn't answer immediately she started ringing the bell, alternating between that and knocking loudly.

Just as she was raising her fist to deliver another set the door flung open, sending her crashing into the apartment. From her position on the ground she saw two large feet come into view. Slowly she lifted her head up, up and up some more until she could see the icy blue fury in her neighbor's eyes.

It was almost enough to make her retreat, still on hands and knees. Then she saw the bed sheet draped carelessly around his hips, his erection pushing the material out from his body, and remembered why she had come here in the first place.

Sookie pushed up onto her feet and smoothed the thin material of her night gown with her hands. She suddenly felt self-conscious as she realized that her neighbor was more than likely getting an eyeful of everything she had to offer.

She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her neighbor.

"Do you think you could keep it down? Some people have work in the morning." She tried to add as much frigid-bitch to her voice as humanly possible.

"What makes you think I don't have to work?" He followed his flippant remark with a smirk.

She'd love to kiss the smirk off his lips. Wait. Not kiss. Smack. Smack the smirk off his lips.

"If you had to work in the morning you'd be asleep. That's assuming you had an ounce of common sense. Which I suppose is debatable."

The jerk smiled. He actually had enough gall to flash her some mega-grin like she'd just told him Santa was real.

She rolled her eyes in exasperation and stepped back into the hallway, making a point of glaring at him one more time before going back to her apartment. Crawling back into bed, Sookie prayed for at least one good hour of sleep before the morning.

**oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Some mornings it felt like the entire world was conspiring against her, Sookie thought to herself as she gave a longing look at her favorite café as she drove by. She was already 15 minutes late, so her frozen mocha would have to wait until later.

Once she had gone back to bed she fell into a deep dreamless sleep. So deep she managed to miss her alarm clock going off. She had raced through her shower and dried her hair just enough to get by. Unfortunately during the night her cat Tina had felt it necessary to pull her outfit off the hanger and make a bed of it on the floor. The Book Nook was a casual attire work place but Sookie had felt the need to dress up for this first meeting. Now instead of feeling confident in something professional she was forced to wear her usual work outfit of jeans and a t-shirt.

Sookie pulled into the parking lot and stopped for a moment, taking a few deep breaths and calming herself. Walking into this meeting late and a wreck wouldn't do well to help her convince the new owner that she should remain the assistant manager.

After one last deep breath she left her car and made her way into The Book Nook. The store was closed this morning for the meeting so everything was still dark, only a few lights guiding the way to the back employee break room.

She paused outside the door, hearing a deep booming voice saying something that made everyone laugh. She knew that voice and couldn't place it, which really bothered her.

When there was a pause in the man's speaking she pushed the door open and stepped inside. For the first time in her life Sookie wanted to turn and run straight out of the shop.

Her eyes locked with his as she said the first thing that popped into her mind.

"You?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! I just wanted to apologize for not responding to everyone individually and also for how long it took to get this chapter to you all. I was shooting for once a week posting but I had a family issue that set me back. **

**This has not been pre-read by Fairyblood so all the mistakes are mine all mine. I wanted to get this to you as quick as possible. So here it is, Chapter 2.  
**

Eric fought to hide his grin as his neighbor-slash-assistant manager gaped at him in surprise. Of course he knew who she was the second he met her in the hallway on his move-in day. His childhood friend Claudine had pictures of her posing with Sookie spread through-out her house

If he were to be completely honest, Sookie had more to do with buying out Claudine then his love of books did. He'd never been one to believe in love at first sight but every glance at her picture made his heart beat a little faster.

When Claudine mentioned she was selling the shop, he conned her into selling it to him, without letting on to Sookie that she knew who he was.

The first few weeks he'd been in town he'd tried everything to get Sookie to take notice of him. He'd ran shirtless, hung out in the coffee shop she loved, timed his trips to the grocery store to match hers, she'd made him a stalker.

Still she hadn't seemed to notice him until one night Claudine, drunk on too much wine, told him Sookie was a virgin and rarely paid any mind to guys. That night a plan was formed. Any 20-something woman that was still a virgin had to be hornier than hell, right? So began his campaign to keep her awake with the sounds of all the orgasms she could be having.

He'd go to the bar, coming home each night with a different girl. He couldn't bring himself to actually fuck them so he'd bring them off with fingers and tongue, making them beg and scream for more.

When he heard nothing from her even then, he assumed his plan was failing. Until last night when he decided to step up his game. He called his college roommate turned drag queen Lafayette over and enlisted his help. He'd almost fell over laughing as Laf used a high-pitch falsetto to moan and scream, his head pressed to the wall as Eric rocked the bed against it.

Even then he thought it wouldn't work, but then the furious knocking and bell ringing began. It had taken everything in him not to drag her into his apartment, throw Laf out and fuck her against the wall, her body still soft and warm from sleep, her hair slightly tousled.

But now here she was. He could see that the shock was giving way to anger. Even pissed off she was the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. Her lips moved but he was too caught up in watching her to register the fact she was talking to him until one of the other employees cleared his throat.

He ended the meeting, dismissing everyone but Sookie with a smile and a promise to meet with everyone individually.

When everyone left he turned back to see her standing there with her hands on her hips, ready for a show-down.

"Why didn't you tell me? You obviously knew who I was." Every word was forced from between her clenched teeth.

"Why should I have to Ms. Stackhouse? I wasn't aware my business dealings are any of your concern. It didn't matter if I knew who you were or not."

Eric grinned as he purposely riled her temper.

"None of my concern? None of my concern?" Her voice raised an octave as she continued her screaming.

"How is it none of my concern? You buy the book shop I work at. You're my annoying exhibitionist neighbor who isn't polite enough to keep his activities at a reasonable volume. I can't stand you. And now you're my boss? Yes, Mr. Northman, I fail to see how it's none of my concern."

He leaned back against the door and crossed his arms, staring down one of the only people to ever stand up to him.

"Well, Ms. Stackhouse, considering I haven't made any decisions regarding your future here, you may not have to worry about me being your boss."

"Oh I see. Is there where I'm supposed to get on my knees and promise I'll do anything to keep my job?"

Eric almost laughed when she rolled her eyes in disgust.

"No Ms. Stackhouse, this is where you go do your job and get over the fact that some people enjoy sex."

"Who said I don't enjoy sex? How do you know I'm not with a different guy every night? Or girl for that matter."

This time Eric did laugh. She was cute as hell trying to brazen it out, pretending like she wasn't still untouched.

"You're right Ms. Stackhouse. Now if you'll excuse me I have employees to speak with." He held the door open and waited for her to walk out, his eyes glued to the sway of her ass in her tight jeans.

Just as he was about to turn away her fingers hooked in her belt loops and she slid her jeans down enough to show him a hot pink thong dipping between the full lushness of her perfect ass. He groaned and palmed his dick through his pants as she laughed her way out into the store.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Okay all. I have about a million excuses why it took me about 2 months to get you chapter 3. They're all pretty good ones too. I went on vacation, then came home, was sick, then got extremely busy, then my laptop broke, then sick again…. You get the drift. Life was kicking my ass. Anyhow, I'm back and hopefully will get into the swing of regular updates. This is a short chapter. 99% inner monologue of Sookie. Next chapter we'll get back to some E/S time. Possibly some lemon zest. Enjoy!_**

**_Oh, one more thing, this is completely unbeta'd. Fairyblood doesn't even know I'm posting this right now. *hides* Hopefully she spanks me for it. errr... doesn't spank I mean. Yeah. Doesn't spank me.  
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**_ o  
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As she made her way down the hall and back into the store front Sookie called Eric every name she could think of. Her face felt hot and flushed. Part of it was embarrassment for the way she'd behaved when she walked out, but the other part, she hated to admit, was from being so close to Eric.

It was bad enough when she would see him around the building. He was a gorgeous man for sure. Many of her late night fantasies had been fueled by the thought of his body between her thighs, giving her a world class introduction to the art of sex.

But now she knew that he wasn't just the guy next door. He was Eric Northman, her new boss. Those fantasies would have to stop. She couldn't look at him every day and imagine him with that sheet draped around his hips like last night. She'd never get any work done.

The few employees the Book Nook had all scattered when she came around the corner and into the front of the store. She gave them all a look that meant business. The ones that had only come in for the meeting left quickly and the two that were working today immediately began putting books away and prepping the store to open.

Her thoughts remained on Eric and what she was going to do about her serious case of lust for him. She knew she couldn't give in. He was obviously a man-whore and not the kind of guy you trust with your virginity.

Sookie sighed as she bent down behind the counter and opened the small safe kept under the register, pulling out the cash from yesterday and getting it ready to deposit at the bank. She really hadn't meant to stay a virgin this long. At first her good southern girl upbringing kept her legs shut when many girls her age were experimenting. Being raised by her grandmother meant being raised in a household with old fashioned values. Her brother Jason had bucked the rules at every turn. But Sookie was so grateful her grandmother took them in that she was determined to make up for her brother's misbehavior.

Her gran never made them feel like they were a burden but Sookie realized how hard it was at her age to take in two children. Not only take them in but give them the best life she could afford, often times going without things herself so that they could have more.

By the time she ventured off to college she was more focused on studying and holding down a part time job. Drinking and partying weren't on her list of priorities. Her roommate Amelia was always out partying and trying to convince Sookie to go out. But they certainly had different circumstances. While she had to work to help pay for what a scholarship and financial aid didn't cover, Amelia's dad could buy the college 10 times over. She studied hard to get good grades while Amelia knew her dad would buy her the degree if she couldn't get it on her own.

She really should have hated Amelia, but there was something about her that made her likable. They'd clicked almost instantly. And while Amelia always teased Sookie for her virgin status, she always respected it enough to not try throwing guys at her.

After college she had a few boyfriends but none ever seemed like the right one. She felt like sex with any of them would have been a mistake. The closest she'd come was her ex-boyfriend Bill. She thought he'd been understanding of her need to take it slow. It turned out he was only so understanding because he was screwing his boss Lorena.

Sookie felt a headache coming on just from thinking about that disaster. She refocused, counting the money a third time and zipping it into the bank deposit bag. Just as she was turning to leave her body came smack up against a hard wall of muscle.

Long fingers gripped her hips, steadying her from falling backwards. Her nipples hardened almost immediately and strained against the thin material of her bra. A soft moan escaped her lips when her sensitive nipples brushed over his chest. She risked a glance up, seeing Eric's eyes darken as he looked down at her. His cock thickened beneath his pants and nudged against her hip.

For one insane second she almost reached down and gripped his length in her hand, stroked it through his pants, giving him a promise of things to come. Before her hand could make the journey a woman snickered behind them. The moment was gone as quick as it came. Sookie pulled away and took off without a word. Being so close to Eric was screwing with her head.

Just before she left the store for the bank she turned around. It was foolish of course, some girly part of her hoped to see that fire still burning in his eyes, proof that she hadn't imagined it. Of course that wasn't what she saw. Instead she was treated to the sight of Eric's arms around the woman that interrupted them.

She felt her blood-pressure rising. Sookie was itching to go tell Eric that this wasn't his bedroom and that he needs to keep it in his pants. However, he was the boss. A mantra she was going to have to learn. Eric Northman is your boss. Eric Northman the asshole is your boss. Eric the man-whore asshole is your boss.

It sounded worse and worse every time.


	4. Chapter 4

**I cannot thank you all enough for the reviews. I'm sorry if I haven't responded to everyone individually but I have been crazy busy and rarely sit down in front of the computer. And when I do it's to work on the story. I'll try to get to every one this time around. But please know I'm immensely grateful that you all take time to read this bit of fic and actually review it.**

**As always a huge thank you to Fairyblood. Who may not even get a chance to beta this before I post it. So all mistakes are mine.**

**Alrighty, on with the show!**

**0o0o0o0**

Eric watched as Sookie bolted out the door. He fought the need to chase after her and explain the woman wrapped tightly in his arms. Instead he let out a sigh and looked down at the petite blonde pressed up against him.

"Holly, what are you doing here?" He gently took her by her shoulders and held her away from him. At one time this woman had been his world. That is until he caught her in bed with—Eric shook his head. No, not fucking going there.

"Can't a girl come see her husband at work?"

"Ex, I'm your ex husband Holly."

With an exaggerated sigh and a flip of her hair Holly stepped back. Eric knew better than to think she'd come just for the hell of it. While Holly blabbered on about needing money for a trip that could make her career, Eric took a chance to look her over. She was beautiful, no doubt, but she wasn't Sookie. Her blonde hair was from a bottle, her nails fake, her tan fake, and he knew her breasts weren't God's creation but that of the doctor he paid a fortune to at Holly's request their first Christmas as a married couple. She was so different from when he'd first met her as a waitress at a run down bar in a middle-of-nowhere town. Had he done this to her? After getting a taste of what money could offer she was hooked. Gone was the genuine sweetheart he'd fallen in love with, replaced by a spoiled brat.

"Eric are you even listening to me?"

"Fuck Holly, why is this shit my problem? How did you even know where I was?"

She rolled her eyes at him and that's when he knew.

"Debbie? You're still fucking my personal assistant?"

"Eric, honey, don't be mad at her. I made her promise not to tell."

Not for the first time, Eric truly regretted hiring Debbie Pelt. But damn it she was the best personal assistant he'd ever had. So when he caught her and Holly in bed together he kept her on anyway, knowing he'd never find someone as ruthlessly efficient as she was.

"I don't care what you do with her Holly but stop using her for info. And no, I'm not giving you any money. You get enough in alimony as it is. I'm not your husband anymore. Find someone else to pay for your nose job."

"It is not a nose job. It's cheek bone reconstruction and I need it for health reasons. You see—"

Eric tuned her out the moment his eye caught Sookie walking back in the door. The way she looked at him could have frozen the fires of hell. Shit, she was pissed. Eric tore his eyes away from Sookie as he growled at Holly to get out. For the first time in a long time she actually listened to him and quickly left the store, nearly knocking Sookie on her way out.

He watched as Sookie stumbled then caught herself, turning and firing an ice glare at Holly before putting her head down and walking quickly into the employee room.

Just before she reached the door he grabbed her hand.

"Sookie, let me explain. Holly is—"

"Holly is none of my business Eric. This is your book store now. I think it's unprofessional to have your girl of the week hanging around but it isn't my place to say that now is it?"

With a surprisingly strong jerk of her arm she had freed her hand and disappeared into the employee room. Eric watched for the door to shut before slamming his fist down on the counter and swearing to himself. He knew the impression Sookie had of him was his own fault but he wished she'd give him the benefit of the doubt before assuming he had hook-ups coming to see him at work.

Eric glanced up at the clock and realized it wasn't even noon yet. He wanted to go back to his apartment and end this day before it got any worse. Unfortunately he had employees to talk with.

For the next 3 hours Eric met with every employee except Sookie. They all seemed competent and knew their jobs well. He wasn't the kind to come in and fire everyone anyway. The shop ran like a well oiled machine so he was content to let everyone go about their jobs.

He knew he'd have to meet with Sookie sooner or later. She was his store manager, his second in command. But fuck if that didn't give him a headache just thinking about it. So instead he did the cowardly thing and left without telling her.

His drive home was short and for that he was grateful. He had business to attend to. The second he walked into his apartment he peeled his shirt off, and then kicked his shoes off, his jeans ended up somewhere down the hall. When he was naked he made his way into the shower, turning the water as hot as he could stand it. He stepped in and let the water beat down on his chest, the steady stream pouring over his cock as he wrapped a soapy hand around it. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. An image of Sookie in nothing but panties played in his mind. As his hand stroked root to tip so did hers. His thumb glided over the head of his cock just as fantasy-Sookie flicked her tongue over the same spot. Her soft golden blonde hair brushed against his thighs, those pretty pink lips curving into a seductive smirk as her hand twisted just below the head of his cock, her tongue lapping him soft and slow.

Without warning fantasy-Sookie disappeared just as he let out a strangled groan that sounded a lot like her name, his hot come splashing against the floor of the shower. When his heart rate slowed down Eric looked down at his softening cock, surprised he couldn't see lipstick marks. The fantasy had been that real to him.

**0o0o0o0o0o**

Sookie covered her mouth with her hand to keep from crying out as she came. She had gotten home just minutes before Eric. Sneaking out of the book store while he was interviewing his last employee had been wrong but she needed to get away from him, and Lord knows she had enough vacation time stored up. So she left and went home to soak in the tub.

When she heard Eric's shower start she had closed her eyes and imagined him in there soapy and naked. Visions of him pinning her to the shower wall and using his mouth to bring her off had brought her close to the edge. But what sent her over was hearing him yell her name as if she had just given him the best orgasm of his life.

Now as the water cooled she felt frozen to the spot. What now? Obviously he was attracted to her. But he wasn't the kind of man who stuck around forever. On the other hand being a virgin at her age had lost its novelty and she wondered if she wasn't denying herself a lot of pleasure just to stick to morals she wasn't sure were that important anymore. Sure waiting until marriage was great in theory. But what if you had no sexual chemistry with the man you married. Didn't it make sense to test the water, so to speak, before committing yourself to a lifetime with someone?

Sookie grumbled to herself and pulled the drain, watching the water flow from the tub. It both irritated and intrigued her that a man she barely knew was changing the way she viewed something as important as sex and marriage.

One thing she was sure of, Eric Northman the man-whore boss was not the man for her. No matter what her stupid racing heart tried to tell her.


End file.
